Canada, Pittsburgh used its large population base and established hockey tradition to fill its arena. Pittsburgh's local supporters adopted nickname, "Coal Heavers," for their team. Season-by-season The Pros did not fare well in its first season, posting only an 8–15–1 record for fourth place in the league. The Pros' inaugural season was also distracted by the actions and June 7, 1905 death of Pros' player William "Peg" Duval, due to alcoholism. Duval had been suspended in December 1904 without pay by the Pros for not being in condition to play although he returned to the team in time to score the winning goal in a game against Calumet on January 7, 1905. He was permanently released by the team in February 1905 for being unable to stay in condition to play. A Pittsburg Press newspaper report at that time said that "'Peggy' when in condition can hold his end up with any of them, but the wine when it is red seems to have a fascination for him, hence his downfall." However the following season, the team acquired Hod Stuart, who was considered the best player of his era, in certain hockey circles. On December 11, 1905, before the start of the 1905–06 season, Stuart, who previously played in Pittsburgh (for the Bankers of the WPHL in 1903), was suspended from the league after the western teams complained that he had won too many championships and was too rough for the league. He was reinstated by the league on December 30, and joined the Pittsburgh Professionals. During the 1905–06 season the Professionals were one of three teams vying with Portage Lakes and Michigan Soo Indians for first place. However the Pros would finish the season in third place. Stuart started the next season with Pittsburgh, but later left the team following a dispute. However the Pittsburgh line-up still included the recent addition of several notable players such as; Tommy Smith and Horace Gaul of the Ottawa Hockey Club and Jimmy Gardner of the Montreal Wanderers. These players joined Pros alumni; goalie Jack Winchester and Lorne Campbell in the line-up. Campbell and Smith finished ahead of future Hall-Of-Famers; Didier Pitre, Newsy Lalonde and Bruce Stuart in scoring. However Pittsburgh's play only earned the team another third-place finish in the standings. The team's uniform colors were reported in successive seasons as gold (or yellow or orange) and black, maroon and white, and